bang & olufsen | beo grace

What if your favourite pen could keep its analogue soul while living in a world of cloud storage and instant sharing? That’s the challenge Montblanc has tackled head-on. The German luxury Maison, famed for crafting the world’s finest writing instruments, has successfully debuted the Montblanc Digital Paper, an innovation designed not to replace handwriting, but to elevate it for the modern age.

Unveiled at the brand’s Hamburg headquarters, the new device celebrates the unique, sensory pleasure of putting pen to paper while extending the Maison’s refined writing culture into the digital space. It’s a marriage of high culture and high-tech. 

Upholding its core message to “Inspire Writing,” Montblanc employed cutting-edge technology to translate the unparalleled experience of writing by hand without any loss of quality – a demanding transition perfected by the specialists in Hamburg.

“While digital tools offer efficiency and comfort, handwriting is an intensive experience driven by the flow of thought and sensory input. In our increasingly fast-paced world, this experience can be grounding and inspiring,” says Felix Obschonka, Montblanc Director of New Technologies. 

He notes that with the Digital Paper, they’ve found a way to preserve all the virtues of handwriting while simultaneously addressing the need for unlimited space and effortless digital collaboration. 

The entire experience hinges on the accompanying Montblanc Digital Pen. It proudly inherits the ergonomic design and celebrated features of the legendary Meisterstück, retaining the signature three metal rings and the iconic Montblanc emblem.

To genuinely replicate that unique feel, the Digital Pen comes with three interchangeable tips, each meticulously engineered to simulate a different paper texture, allowing the user to precisely tailor the handwriting experience. Writing on the device’s high-resolution display with electronic ink promises the exact same sensory satisfaction as putting a classic Montblanc nib to paper.

Beyond the tactile experience, the Digital Paper is designed as an essential smart companion. It’s ideal for annotating presentations, e-books and documents. But most importantly, all handwritten notes and documents are made fully searchable through an intuitive function with sophisticated handwriting recognition. 

Users can structure ideas using pre-loaded templates for calendars and planners, while files can be seamlessly shared and received via email, USB-C or through the accompanying app connected to the Montblanc Cloud.

Aesthetically, the device is housed in an ultra-light metal casing available in Mystery Black, Elixir Gold and Cool Grey, finished with a calfskin leather side panel embossed with the Montblanc emblem. For added luxury, stylish leather covers are available as an option, which can be individually customised with embossing.

The Montblanc Digital Paper is now available in selected boutiques worldwide and online.

photography. courtesy of Montblanc
words. Gennaro Costanzo

Who knew pianos and luxury cars had so much in common? Steinway & Sons and Bentley Motors, apparently. The two heritage houses have joined forces for a collaboration that celebrates precision, craftsmanship and design through the launch of Steinway’s ‘Ultra Black’ and ‘Ultra White’ limited editions.

Built in Hamburg, just fifty-two of these grand pianos will exist worldwide, evenly split between the two finishes. Each takes cues from both brands’ most recognisable signatures: Steinway’s timeless silhouettes and Bentley’s sleek monochrome palette. The Ultra Black, finished in a deep Jet Black that’s been a favourite in Bentley’s veneer catalogue, feels sculptural and commanding; its mirror image, the Ultra White, draws from the carmaker’s Arctic White, luminous and modern in tone.

“The Ultra Black and Ultra White editions embody Steinway’s ability to honour our heritage while exploring new expressions of design,” confirms Guido Zimmermann, President of Steinway & Sons Europe. “These pianos are not only instruments of the highest musical quality but also works of art, created for those who value craftsmanship, individuality, and timeless beauty.” 

It’s a statement Bentley could easily echo. And indeed, to mark the launch, the British marque unveiled a ‘Flying Spur Speed’ finished in Arctic White with a Piano Black veneer interior – a perfect mirror of Steinway’s monochrome duo. 
“Our collaboration with Steinway & Sons is a meeting of worlds, where craftsmanship connects music and motion. The Flying Spur Speed, paired with Steinway’s Ultra Black and Ultra White editions, represents a dialogue between two distinguished names, creating objects of rarity and enduring beauty,” says Wayne Bruce, Chief Communications and D&I Officer. 

Founded in 1853, Steinway & Sons remains the gold standard for concert pianists, its instruments painstakingly made by hand over the course of a year in just two factories located in Hamburg and New York. Bentley, meanwhile, has been crafting luxury cars in Crewe since 1919, evolving from W.O. Bentley’s original vision into a symbol of British engineering and design.

What makes this collaboration more than just a meeting of logos is the exchange of craft behind it. Steinway and Bentley artisans shared techniques in veneering, finishing and woodwork – a merging of two disciplines united by precision and touch. Both brands have built their legacies on that tension between handcraft and innovation: from Bentley’s meticulously engineered interiors to Steinway’s SPIRIO | r system, which can record and reproduce a live performance with astonishing fidelity.

Elegance shouldn’t be limited to concert halls or car showrooms and, together, the two brands prove that this is what happens when sound and speed share the same rhythm.

photography. courtesy of Steinway & Sons, Bentley Motors
words. Gennaro Costanzo

In Anyma‘s world, the dance floor becomes a living story. The Italian electronic artist, Matteo Milleri, has been revolutionising the techno scene for over 15 years by merging spectacle and storytelling with technology. His immersive live experiences have trailblazed a new dimension in the nightlife landscape through cinematic performances that guide revellers into a mythical space of soaring visuals, awe-inspiring locations and colossal stages, including Sphere in Las Vegas, making him the first DJ to headline the venue. 

Anyma first made his mark as one half of the duo Tale of Us, manifesting his vision through their epochal event series Afterlife. Simultaneously, he has cultivated an avant-garde niche defined by audiovisual experimentation using sound and AI. Now, the visionary is unveiling his Quantum era. If past chapters pushed the limits, Quantum shatters them and propels nightlife into realms unimagined. The live concept is a futuristic evolution of Anyma’s odyssey where theatrics, digital creatures and ethereal melodies collide.

And where better to reveal this new horizon than in a space engineered to expand the very boundaries of night culture? [UNVRS] Ibiza, the world’s first hyperclub, hosted Quantum this summer. Anyma’s eight-week long residency featured special guest appearances from the the likes of Travis Scott, Adriatique, Solomun and Amelie Lens. In an interview with Schön!, Anyma reflects on the experience and delves deep into the Quantum ethos. 

Congratulations on your Ibiza residency at [UNVRS]. How does it feel to bring your world to life in a venue that’s pushing the boundaries of nightlife?

Thank you. It’s pretty surreal. Ibiza has been a very special place throughout my life and career. Going into [UNVRS] allowed me to create something closer to the experience I’d always imagined. [It] felt like a natural extension of the world we’ve been building through music, visuals, and technology. 

How does a space like [UNVRS] allow you to fully express your creative vision?

[UNVRS] gives me the freedom to dissolve the line between reality and the digital realm. It’s a space built for transformation visually, sonically, and emotionally. Their technology allowed me to bring the show to life with the idea of a collective experience where the audience becomes part of the Quantum system, part of the story. Opening the shutters at sunrise every Tuesday was a personal highlight for me.

In your eyes, what does a futuristic venue like [UNVRS] indicate for the evolution of live music?

A venue like [UNVRS] signals a continued shift in how we experience music. I see it as the next step in the evolution of live music, a less linear experience, far more immersive.

You’ve launched your new era, Quantum, through this residency, what does it represent for you and how is it manifesting within these shows?

Quantum was a concept that I premiered at Sphere Las Vegas as the next chapter after the Genesys concept. Hence, why the show was called “The End Of Genesys.” This new Quantum idea is derived from quantum computing and breakthroughs in AI which I find deeply inspirational. Quantum is not just a show–it’s the evolution of the world I’ve been building. 

How would you describe the dimension you’re inviting people into when they experience Quantum for the first time?

When people experience Quantum for the first time, I want them to reimagine humanity and reality. More than anything, Quantum suggests a blend, an alliance, between the digital and the physical. Together with the audiovisual experience of this show, we are inviting the audience to experience a fractured perception of an alternative future reality.

The visual avatars in your shows have become part of your performance identity. What role do they play in the storytelling?

In the live show, they’re not just visual effects. They’re characters in an unfolding narrative that continues to evolve with each show and each body of music and art. By externalising these characters, we invite the audience not just as spectators, but as participants in the narrative.

How do you see AI-generated visuals shaping the trajectory of immersive shows and the live music experience?

In live music and story building, AI is efficient for creative manifestation and quickly moves ideas from concept to execution. As a tool, it can enhance the speed at which stories are visualised, but ultimately, an artist’s imagination and storytelling will remain the driving force. Nothing can replicate that.

You embody the intersection of music, art and technology, where do you find inspiration for the visual realm you’re building?

The visual realm I’ve been building is inspired by the tension between nature and technology. I am fascinated by the relationship that exists between these entities and I draw inspiration from science fiction, architecture, art, and nature. Collaborating with visual artists and machine intelligence allows our ideas to manifest in ways that feel alive, even sentient. The goal isn’t just to create something intriguing and beautiful, but an alternative reality that reflects our collective questions about what it means to be human in a post-human world.